Predatory sergeant abused position of trust, GMP hearing told

A panel described the officer's behaviour as "predatory and akin to grooming"

A "predatory" police officer who "abused his position of trust" to form relationships with 15 junior colleagues has been dismissed by a force.

Det Sgt Suleman Sange admitted having a "sexualised" relationship with one colleague and providing money and clothes to another during a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) hearing.

He accepted he breached standards of conduct between 2019 and 2020.

Dismissing him, a panel said his behaviour was "akin to grooming".

The panel's report said there was "a clear imbalance of power" between Mr Sange, who joined GMP in 2005, and the female colleagues he contacted, some of whom were apprentices who were aged 17 or 18.

It said he usually contacted them by using the office messaging service and offered to help their careers, before engineering situations "where he would be left alone with the younger females".

'Lacked integrity'

The panel found that several of the women felt Mr Sange made "inappropriate and unexpected contact" and one said his comments made her feel left her feeling "uncomfortable, upset and scared".

"When I agreed to help him, this was because I regarded him as an experienced police sergeant and who was trying to give me policing experience," she said.

"Sol did not do this and I believe that his intentions were of an inappropriate relationship with me."

She added that he left her "having irrational thoughts that it was my fault and I can't trust male officers".

The panel found aggravating factors included the "targeting and taking [of] deliberate or predatory steps" and the fact Mr Sange had leadership responsibilities with an "expectation of acting as a role model".

They added that Mr Sange "abused his position of trust and seniority", was "dishonest and lacked integrity" and his behaviour constituted gross misconduct.

Dismissing him without notice, they said there must be "no place in any police force for an officer who behaves in a predatory manner towards their work colleagues".

The BBC has contacted GMP for comment.

In January, it was revealed that 98 GMP officers were being investigated or face misconduct hearings over alleged sexual offences.

At the time, GMP said all complaints were taken "extremely seriously" and "investigated objectively".

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